Two days ago marked the beginning of an exciting three-day auction at Pook & Pook in Downington, Pennsylvania, where a very rare pair of nineteenth century red earthenware vases sold that were made by James Mackley (1843-1916) in Thurmont, Maryland. These objects were illustrated in Figure 165 in A.H. Rice and John Stoudt's 1929 book, The Shenandoah Pottery.
For a brief history: utilitarian pottery production dates back at least 150 years in Thurmont (formerly Mechanicstown). Jacob Lynn was the town's first potter. He purchased land which may have contained an existing pottery from a man named John Hewlett in 1845.
Lynn hired other potters to work at his business, including James Mackley and Anthony Baecher. Baecher was considered one of the area's most influential potters, and in the 1850s learned most of the techniques that he later taught James Mackley. Mackley was born in Carroll County in 1843 and probably came to Thurmont about 1865.
Mackley made many functional pieces of pottery, such as crocks, bowls, plates and other utilitarian items. He also produced fancier pieces, often known as presentation pieces; these were vases, sugar bowls, flower pots, birdhouses, hanging planters and other decorative items. On these, he fashioned birds, rosettes, leaves and other little decorative features, and he sometimes signed these, usually on the bottom. Mackley later moved to Virginia, whereas among the museums that display his work today is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan that exhibits a lidded sugar bowl that was acquired by the museum in 1933. Nonetheless, this pair of vases sold two days ago for $8,125 including the buyer's premium.
19th Century Red Earthenware Vases Made in Thurmont, Maryland
Made by James Mackley (1843-19196) About 1875
Each Stands 9" Tall
Published Figure 165 in the 1929 Book, The Shenandoah Pottery
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook
Figure 165 in the 1929 Book, The Shenandoah Pottery
See Article for More Information
A set of twelve nineteenth century red earthenware candle molds set inside a pine frame also sold on day one, which were made at Enos Smedley's (1805-1892) pottery in Chester County, Pennsylvania; the tubes were marked "SMEDLEY & CO;" they sold for $1,875 including the buyer's premium
This is also a subject of a two-page cover story I wrote for the March 4, 2022 issue of Antiques & Auction News, titled, 19th-Century Red Earthenware Candle Molds Manufactured in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Western New York: http://www.earlyamericanceramics.com/2022/03/print-version-of-my-cover-story.html.
19th Century 12-Tube Red Earthenware Candle Mold Set Inside a Pine Frame
The Tubes are Marked "SMEDLEY & CO."
Probably Circa 1840s-1850s
This Type of Production is Commonly Associated with Alvin Wilcox in W. New York
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook
The Walter and Jeannette Smith Collection of Red Earthenware & Stoneware
Today's sale featured the red earthenware and stoneware collection of Walter and Jeannette Smith of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; this is a collection that I have admired for more than a decade. I first met the Smiths back in 2013 when Walter contacted me after I wrote my first published research article for the October 2013 issue of the New England Antiques Journal, titled, Buried in Merrimacport: William Pecker, his pots and his kiln. In that story, I mentioned a jug that was thought to have been made by Pecker, which was inscribed on the front in slip with the year of manufacture, "1797." The Smiths contacted me just after the article was published, saying they had purchased the jug from the collection of Hilary and Paulette Nolan in 2004 (the Nolans acquired the jug decades prior from a dealer in Virginia); I was also invited to see the Smith's collection, which I made the trip to their home later that year. The overall antiques collection was really spectacular, although this jug sold today for $2,125 including the buyer's premium; the jug is also published in my fourth book, titled, South Amesbury's Red Earthenware & Stoneware: The 1791-1820 William Pecker Pottery, and will also be published in my forthcoming New Hampshire book, titled, An Influential Family of Early Potters: The Clarks of New Hampshire and Related Businesses.
Late 18th Century Red Earthenware Jug Made in Essex County, Mass.
Probably Made at the William Pecker Pottery in South Amesbury, Mass.
Inscribed with Slip "1797"
The Handle and Rim Were Restored
Stands 7" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook
Another significant object that sold in today's sale from the Smith Collection was a late eighteenth or early nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware pitcher with likely its original lid from Bristol County, Massachusetts. This object is one of a few known like it today, which includes two jugs, one of which is illustrated on the back cover of my fifth book, titled. A Celebrated Industry: The Historic Wares of Southeastern Massachusetts, Bristol County and Cape Cod: the pitcher sold for $17,500 including the buyer's premium.
Late 18th or Early 19th Century Slip Decorated Red Earthenware Pitcher
Made in Bristol County, Mass.
The Lid is Likely Original
There are Only a Few Related Objects Known Today
Stands 8" Tall
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook
Here are links to some of the other notable objects from today's sale:
1) Sgraffito decorated red earthenware plate from Southeastern Pennsylvania dated "1811" sold for $25,000 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/southeastern-pennsylvania-redware-charger-6610061
2) Nineteenth century red earthenware figure of a dog holding a basket from Pennsylvania sold for $6,250 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/pennsylvania-redware-dog-19th-c-6610072
3) Nineteenth century red earthenware rattle in the figure of a bird from Pennsylvania sold for $3,000 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/pennsylvania-redware-bird-rattle-19th-c-6610084
4) Nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware bowl made at the John Bell Pottery for the Snow Hill Nunnery in Pennsylvania sold for $7,500 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/pennsylvania-snow-hill-nunnery-redware-bowl-6610103
5) Nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware mixing bowl made at the Solomon Bell Pottery in Strasburg, Virginia sold for $17,500 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/solomon-bell-virginia-redware-mixing-bowl-6610106
6) Nineteenth century red earthenware jar decorated with tulips in slip sold for $2,125 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/moravian-redware-jar-early-19th-c-6610105
7) Pair of nineteenth century red earthenware squirrel bottles from Salem, North Carolina sold for $8,750 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/pair-of-north-carolina-redware-squirrel-bottles-6610119
8) Nineteenth century red earthenware jar from Pennsylvania sold for $3,500 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/new-england-redware-crock-19th-c-6610097
9) Pair of nineteenth century red earthenware jars made by Solomon Bell in Strasburg, Virginia sold for $5,000 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/pair-of-solomon-bell-virginia-redware-crocks-6610164
10) Red earthenware bowl dated "1791" sold for 6,250 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/large-hagerstown-maryland-redware-bowl-6610155
11) Early nineteenth century red earthenware bowl attributed to Hagerstown, Maryland sold for $5,250 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/hagerstown-maryland-redware-bowl-early-19th-c-6610156
12) Small nineteenth century cobalt decorated stoneware flask sold for $4,000 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/diminutive-american-stoneware-flask-19th-c-6610147
13) Nineteenth century cobalt decorated stoneware crock from Morgantown, West Virginia sold for $4,250 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/morgantown-west-virginia-stoneware-people-crock-6610170
14) Early nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware jar from West Hartford, Connecticut sold for $6,250 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/connecticut-redware-crock-ca-1820-6610176
15) Early nineteenth century slip decorated red earthenware jar from West Hartford, Connecticut sold for $2,000 including the buyer's premium: https://live.pookandpook.com/online-auctions/pook/connecticut-redware-crock-ca-1820-6610177
Note: There was plenty of more great pottery in the Smith Collection, much of which originated in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the Mid-Atlantic region - see the auction catalog for the rest of the pottery: https://live.pookandpook.com/auctions/pook/americana-international-auction---session-three---lots-1001-1432-15726/catalog.
Some of the Red Earthenware that Sold This Week at Pook & Pook in Pennsylvania
Some of this Pottery is from the Smith Collection of Gettysburg, PA
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook
Some of the Stoneware that Sold This Week at Pook & Pook in Pennsylvania
Some of this Pottery is from the Smith Collection of Gettysburg, PA
See Article for More Information
Photo Courtesy: Pook & Pook
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